In archery, the point of impact of an arrow and its tip is influenced by several simultaneous parameters, most notably the distance to which the bowstring is drawn back and the elevation angle at which an arrow is launched.
An archer must develop a skill set which combines a keen sense of proprioception and “muscle memory” in various body positions in order to make a good estimate of both how far back an arrow nocked to its bowstring has been drawn and also the elevation angle of the arrow. Accuracy is gained by repeated visceral learning experiences of which muscle positions of the entire body result in which ranges and impact points of the arrows. According to some techniques, an archer sights along an arrow shaft, but in other techniques the arrow axis at launch is offset from a line of sight from the archer's aiming eye to the target or to an aiming structure on the bow, arrow, or string, so that the repeatable control of a launch angle must also be learned by experience and muscle memory which is not often or easily transferrable from one bow and arrow system to another, nor easily transferable from one user to another user of the same system. Thus, despite its ancient history, many challenges for repeatability and reproducibility remain unsolved in the field of archery.